Absorbent article having a unitary release material joined to each side flap

Abstract

An absorbent article having a main body portion, a pair of flaps joined to the main body portion, and a unitary release material joined to a portion of each of the flaps such that the unitary release material superposes the flap adhesive when the flap is folded along a fold line. Each of the flaps form an included angle of about 180° to about 270° relative to the perpendicular axis of the main body portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An absorbent article for wearing in a user's undergarment, said absorbent article having a principal longitudinal centerline and a principal transverse centerline, said absorbent article comprising: a main body portion having a perpendicular axis and comprising an absorbent assembly comprising an absorbent core and two spaced apart longitudinal edges; and   a first flap and a second flap, each being joined along a juncture to said main body portion, said flaps each having a proximal edge adjacent the line of juncture, a distal edge disposed away from the line of juncture, a distal edge projection, a first flap securement member and a second flap securement member joined thereto such that said first flap securement member superposes said second flap securement member and is removably secured thereto when said flap is folded along a fold line; and   the distal edge projection of said first flap and the distal edge projection said second flap each forming an included angle of at least about 180° relative to the perpendicular axis of said main body portion when said first flap and said second flap are folded along said fold line.   
     
     
       2. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the distal edge projection of said first flap and the distal edge projection of said second flap each form an included angle greater than about 180° relative to the perpendicular axis of said main body portion. 
     
     
       3. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the distal edge projection of said first flap and the distal edge projection of said second flap each form an included angle greater than about 270° relative to the perpendicular axis of said main body portion. 
     
     
       4. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the distal edge of said first flap and the distal edge of said second flap are visible to the user when the absorbent article is viewed from above. 
     
     
       5. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said first flap securement member comprises a flap adhesive and said second flap securement member comprises a unitary release material. 
     
     
       6. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said first flap securement member comprises adhesive zones and release zones and said second flap securement member comprises adhesive zones and release zones which are arranged such that the adhesive zones of said first flap securement member are removably secured to at least a portion of the release zones of said second flap securement member and the adhesive zones of said second flap securement member are removably secured to at least a portion of the release zones of said first flap securement member. 
     
     
       7. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said first flap securement member comprises a layer of adhesive and said second flap securement member comprises a layer of adhesive which is releasably secured to the layer of adhesive of said first flap securement member. 
     
     
       8. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein each of said flaps comprises a flap transverse centerline that intersects the principal longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article/main body portion and divides the absorbent article into four quarters, each of said quarters comprising a first portion adjacent said principal longitudinal centerline and said flap transverse centerline, and a second portion outboard of said first portion, and said second portion of at least one of said quarters of said absorbent article comprises a zone of differential extensibility, said zone of differential extensibility being capable of greater extension outward in a generally transverse direction than said first portion of said quarter. 
     
     
       9. An absorbent article for wearing in a user's undergarment, said absorbent article having a principal longitudinal centerline and a principal transverse centerline, said absorbent article comprising: a main body portion having a perpendicular axis and comprising an absorbent assembly comprising an absorbent core and two spaced apart longitudinal edges; and   a first flap and a second flap, each being joined along a line of juncture to said main body portion; having a proximal edge adjacent the line of juncture, a distal edge disposed away from the line of juncture, a first flap securement member and a second flap securement member joined thereto such that said first flap securement member superposes said second flap securement member and is removably secured thereto when said flap is folded along a fold line; and   the distal edge of said first flap and the distal edge of said second flap being visible to the user when the absorbent article is viewed from above when said first flap and said second flap are folded along said fold line.   
     
     
       10. The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein said first flap securement member comprises a flap adhesive and said second flap securement member comprises a unitary release material. 
     
     
       11. The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein said first flap securement member comprises adhesive zones and release zones and said second flap securement member comprises adhesive zones and release zones which are arranged such that the adhesive zones of said first flap securement member are removably secured to at least a portion of the release zones of said second flap securement member and the adhesive zones of said second flap securement member are removably secured to at least a portion of the release zones of said first flap securement member. 
     
     
       12. The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein said first flap securement member comprises a layer of adhesive and said second flap securement member comprises a layer of adhesive which is releasably secured to the layer of adhesive of said first flap securement member. 
     
     
       13. The absorbent article of claim 9 wherein each of said flaps comprises a flap transverse centerline that intersects the principal longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article/main body portion and divides the absorbent article into four quarters, each of said quarters comprising a first portion adjacent said principal longitudinal centerline and said flap transverse centerline, and a second portion outboard of said first portion, and said second portion of at least one of said quarters of said absorbent article comprises a zone of differential extensibility, said zone of differential extensibility being capable of greater extension outward in a generally transverse direction than said first portion of said quarter.